Freewheeling mechanism



Jan. 1, 1935. c, R, KouRsH FREEWHEELING MECHANISM Filed July l5, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. l, 1935. l c, R KQURSH 4 1,986,442

FREEWHEELING MECHANISM Filed July 15, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jfree Wheeling position.,

l1n Fig; 1' an engine 10 fclutch which is indicated generally `Lby I"the 1nu. 'meral- 11.* `As shown in. Figs; Isitc A45 stheplutch Patented Jan. 1V, 1935 t Vo-F-Flc-F.` N

This inventionvrela-tes `to .improvements in-free Wheeling mechanism.;

One object of the `invention is'ftofprvidfaela tivelysimple mechanisnifvvhich `is adaptedtoop; erate the clutcljijfforl efEecting--theyfree wheelingbr coasting action andlvvhich mechanism, preferably, constitutesla partofthef-clutch unite.` 1 Another object `off theinventipnis toprovidaa free Wheeling..-mechanismgwhich joan-.readily )be movedby manualmeanstoinoperativeoroperative Aposition `by `the .driver regardless :of the speed .at Whichthefvehicle may be traveling,` whichmanual means also-permits the adjustmentof .the neclfi` anism whereby the rfree vvheeling action .becomes effective at agreater Aor lesser-:over-.runpf the vehicle speed withreference 1.tolth'eengine speed as thefdri'verlmay desire. i

y Y Otherobjectsrelate to `various,features.ofponf struction and i arrangement ofparts. which .will be apparent iroma considerationf thef follovvvingV specication. and accompanying(,drawings, wherein: s `v f 7 l y I Fig. 1 isa'broken elevation` illustrating a motor, transmission. and .one form. of clutchinehanism and its related parts incorporated in Whicha the Apresent improvements.

Fig.' 2 is a detached broken of a .clutch shaft.4 and. associated parts embodying Fig.' 3 is' a vertical section offa clutch Fig. 4 isa similar viewin vvhichthe free .Wheel- A.ing mechanismis in normalposition;,that.is; [in

position vto be actuatedby the Yoverrunninglof the vehicle Withrespect tothe enginetofrende'nthe free Wheelingmechanism eiective to automatically disconnect theclutoh. Q

Fig. 5 illustrates the'mechanism in operative Fig; s is ,a detail of vibration ismating meen;

"anism of a form `substantiallyasemployedfin many" conventional clutcheswhichLM `permits limited lrelative movement of ltheclutchl shaft `and its frictiondiscsf `In the drawings the `invention'lisgshovvri `erri- `ldod-ied'in a formlof commercial clutchfat 'pres- -ent in use in manymakes of motor ca'rslbut it will be apparent that theimprovements are adaptredI for-use in conjunction-'With othr'conventional clutches also.l l

is shownprovid'edwith a comprisesiafywheel or driving member 12 which carries a compression plate 13 which is adapted to Vbespressedby.:arms 14 against the friction discs 15.1 The` arms 14 are pivoted to the cover or housing 16 which hasalflange or hub 17 upon .which is positioned` a spring` 18 ivvhich bearsatl its outer endlagainst a-Lcollarv 19. and by means of a lock- -in'g rin"g.20 iforcesfthe sleeve 21 against the arms 1147130" effect the compression of the plate 13 against .the di`sc115.fY The sleeve 21` canvbe `moved to the right,fas.shovvn .inFig-. 4, against the 4spring 18 by theiconventional clutch pedal .'22 for disengaging -theiclutchw i i "The clutch friction `dises 15 are mounted onithe platesl23 which arecarried on the hub 24 which is splined to the endl of theclutch'shaftf 25.v Betv`veen .the spacedapart portions of the plates 23 `isF-the -ioonventional vibration absorbing mecha- -nismsomewhatfmodiiied and shown in detail'in Fig.l 6." The hub- 24 has a peripheral flange or plate 26 having spring abutments `27 which prolject into recesses 29 vformed in a ring 30 Which is riveted-to vtheplates T23, at..28. Springs -31 are positioned-betweenoneface of each abutment 2'7 fand-adjacent abutment 32 while springs i 33 are positioned between the abutments 34 of the ring 430- and-the-otherfaces'of 'abutments 2'7.` The springs thus tend to hold the abutments 2'7 in the -positione shovvn` in Fig. 6, `but upon, the initial transmission of power through the clutch discs c ftofthe shafti25, the springs 31 will be fully com- "pressed-whereupon the positive driving action of 'the shaft` is effected.

Should the speed of `.the `vehicle ,be `such that ithe LVshaft l25T.tends to overrun the .engine speed, the'labutments 27 `Will move away from abutments A132 and. compress the springs 33` against abutments -34-:i "This relativegmovement of the members 26 and .1.30. :'is :made: use *of `for @actuating .means for "eifectingathe disengagement of theclutch to, pro f cure thefreewheeling action.

The shaft 25 has splined thereto an'finner sleeve f35'..-iiA .-;second slew/e136 has -threadedengage- :mentfvvi-ththeA- sleeve -asyindicated at 37;. 'The "frictiona-lf lengagement `with :the sleeve 21, prefer- ,ablyxbyfzmeansfof a friction ring 38 carried-bylone orethe other-:J sleeve -21is splined or-keyed Vin lthe. conventional manner. (so` asto 'permit -free longitudinal: movement) as Vat -39 to ,the'hub or fiiangefl'? ofi-the' coverf'l. A l

Referring .Lto-Fig. 4-itwillbeseen that `the shafti 25:;'sh'ould' tend 'to lrotate :faster than engine -speedgtasswhenfthe driver removes Ahis footirom ztheaacceleratonlwhile the Lear is'in motion, and in gear, the limited relative rotation of the shaft 25 with respect to the members 12 or 23 (permitted by the vibration absorbing mechanism above described) the sleeve 35 will then rotate faster than the sleeve 21 which always rotates at engine speed. The frictional engagement of the sleeve 21 and sleeve 36 tends to effect the rotation of the latter also at engine speed. Thus the rotation of the sleeve 35 relative to sleeve 36 causes the latter to move to the right, as shown in Fig. 4, due to the lefthand threads 37.` The sleeve 36 has a flange 40 at the outer end which engages the flange 42 of the sleeve 21 and moves the late ter to the right against the actionof, the spring 18, thus freeing the arms 14 andlreleasing" the clutch and providing free wheelingjor coasting action, as indicated in Fig. 5.

The sleeve 35 is held against longitudinal move-r ment by the shifting fork 43 which is secured tothe thrust bearing 44. The fork 43 has a gear 45 which meshes with worm 46 which can be rotated manually by a handle 47 having a-spring pressed plunger 48 which bears against a notched plate 49 secured to the floor 50 of the vehicle. By shifting the handle 47, Worm 46 rotates the gear 45,. and thus the fork 43 will be moved to shift'thesleeves 35 and 36 longitudinally of the shaft 25. The sleeves can thus be moved to extreme projected position shown in Fig. 3, in which position the relative rotation of the sleeves 35 and 36 permitted by the described vibration absorbing device, is insuicient to effect the movement of the sleeve 36 far enough to the right to cause the disengagement of the clutch. r.Asthere areno rotating gears to be nieshed, the free wheeling mechanism can be moved to inoperative position at any time regardless of the speed of the vehicle.

By rotating the handle 47 in the oppositedirection, the sleeves can be moved to the right and the free wheeling action thus obtained manually if desired.

By varying the rotative position of the handle 47, the sleeves 35 and 36 can be so positioned longitudinally of the shaft 25 that free wheeling becomes effective as desired, that is upon only a slight 'overrunning of engine speed, upon the maximum overrunning, or at intermediate degrees of overrunning.

.Assuming that the free wheeling mechanism isv in operation, due to the speed of shaft 25 exceeding the speed of the engine` rotation, the Vmechanism will be returned automatically lto inoperative position upon the appropriate increase 'in engine speed. When the engine speed increases, as assumed, the sleeve 21 will rotate the sleeve 36 faster than the sleeve 35 is rotating, whereupon the sleeve 36 will move to the left, due

to its threaded connection with sleeve 35, and permit sleeve 21 to move to the left also under the action of the spring 18 and press the clutch arms 14 to clutching relation withthe plate 13.

What-I claim is:

- 1. The combination with a clutch comprising a driving member, al driven member comprising a clutch shaft, means carried by said shaft for permitting limited rotation of the same relativelyto said driving member while said clutch is engaged,

means comprising a sleeve slidable along said threaded sleeves on said shaft, one of said sleeves being rotatable with said shaft and the other having frictional engagement vwith said first mentioned sleeve.

2. The combination with a clutch comprising a driving member, a driven member comprising a clutch shaft, means for controlling the engagement of said clutch members comprising a rotatable sleeve driven by said driving member at engine speed, and free wheeling mechanism carried by said shaft operable by movement of said driven member relatively to said driving member ,I for'actuating said sleeve to clutch disengaging .position for. actuating said mechanism by said sleeve to release the latter from clutch disengaging-p'osition upon rotation of said sleeve at a speed. greatery than said shaft.

' 3. In combination, a driving member, a driven membena'slidable member for effecting driving engagement between said driving and driven members,y threaded meansl actuated by the overrunning of said driven member for moving said slidable member in a direction to effect the disengagement of said driving and driven members, and operating meansbetween said sliding member andv said threaded means for actuating the latter in a direction for effecting the release of said sliding member from said threaded means upon the overrunning of said driving member. y

"54.`In combination, a clutch comprising a drive ing member, a driven member comprising a clutch shaft, means affording limited rotation of said shaft, relatively to said driving memberduring the engagement'of the clutch, a slidable sleeve around said shaft operable v,to control the engagement of "said driving and driven members and being rotated by said driving memberfan YeX- ternally threaded sleeve splined to said shaft, a third sleeve onv said shaft threadedly engaging said second mentioned sleeve, and friction means between said rst and third sleeves, said third sleeve having means forengaging said rst sleeve for moving the latter in a direction to release said clutch upon the overrunning of said shaft. 1

5. In combination, an automobile clutch comprising a driving member, a driven member having a shaft, means permitting limited overrunning yof each said shaftv and drivingmember with reference to the other, a slidable sleeve for effecting the engagement and disengagement of said clutch, and free wheeling mechanism comprising means lslidable along said shaft for actuating said sleeve in adirectionto effect the disengagement of said clutchupon the overrunning of said shaft and yfor releasing said sleeveupon the overrunning of said'driving member.

6.*In combination,` an automobile clutch comprising a driving member, a driven member having a` shaft, means permitting limited overrunning of each .said shaft and driving. member with reference to theother while the clutch is engaged, ,a Aslidable sleeve for effecting the engagement and disengagement of said clutch, free wheeling mechanism comprising means slidable along said shaft forv actuating said sleeve in a direction' to effect thedisengagement of said clutch uponl the overrunning of said shaft and for releasing said Asleeve upon the overrunning of said driving member, and manually. operable means for sliding said mechanism out of operative position.

7. AIn combination, an automobile clutch comprising a driving member, a driven member having ,a shaft, meanspermitting limited overrunning of each said shaft and driving member with reference to the other while the clutch is engaged, a slidable sleeve for effecting the engagement and disengagement of said clutch, free wheeling mechanism comprising means slidable along said shaft for actuating said sleeve in a direction to eect the disengagement of said clutch upon the overrunning of said shaft and for releasing said sleeve upon the overrunning of said driving member and manually operable means for adjusting the position of said mechanism for rendering the same operative at diierent degrees of overrunning by either said shaft or driving member.

8. In combination a clutch comprising a driving member and a driven member, a clutch shaft rotatable with said driven member, clutch arms for controlling the engagement of said driving and driven members, a slidable arm-operating sleeve rotatable about said shaft and operatively secured to said driving member for rotation therewith, a threaded member on said shaft rotatable therewith, a second sleeve slidably mounted on said shaft and threadedly engaging said threaded member, said second sleeve being provided with means for engaging said rst sleeve for moving the same axially of said shaft, and friction means operatively connecting said rst and second sleeves for causing said second sleeve to move along said threaded member and actuate said rst sleeve axially in a direction to operate said clutch arms and release said driving and driven clutch members.

9. In a clutch, driving and driven members, clutch mechanism for connecting said members, manually releasable means for normally holding said clutch mechanism in engaged position, and means for automatically shifting said normally engaged clutch mechanism to disengaged position when the speed of the driven member exceeds that of the driving member, said last mentioned means comprising a sleeve mounted on and having a threaded connection with said driven member, whereby said sleeve is adapted when the speed of the driven member exceeds that of the driving member to travel longitudinally of said driven member and actuate said manually releasable clutch engaging means to release said clutch mechanism. Y

CHARLES R. KOURSH. 

